Legal Assistant

General Job Information

There is only one city in the country that can say it is the Nation's Capital - Washington, D.C. Given that distinction, The Metropolitan Police Department is the premiere law enforcement organization in the city. We receive over 22 million visitors a year, have almost 700,000 residents, and 21,000 private business. The Department consists of more than 4,200 members: approximately 3,550 sworn members and over 650 civilian employees. We are one of the most diverse and highly trained departments in the country. We have the honor of safeguarding and protecting not only our nation's residents, but also people from all over the world.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) offers an attractive benefits package. The benefits package includes competitive compensation, health insurance, prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability and life insurance, as well a strong retirement benefit and savings options. Employees are also eligible for our employer contributed 401a plan after one year of employment. Additional perks such as discounts on wireless carriers, gym memberships, amusement park tickets and much more! Additional information can be found at: DCHR Benefits

This position is located in the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB), Court Liaison Division (CLD) and consist of 6 units/offices: Administrative Operations; Traffic Adjudication Unit; Papering Elimination Project Office (PEP); Court Check In/Out; Court Appearance Notification Systems Office (CANS); and Report Administration and Audit Processing Unit (RAAP). The CLD is the first point of contact that aides the judicial systems in the Metropolitan Area by processing, inputting, and transcribing all requests for MPD officers' court appearances within the legal system.

The incumbent provides divisional support that will aide attorneys /paralegals with correct information to litigate their work.

This Legal Assistant position is covered under the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE) bargaining unit and you may be required to pay an agency fee through direct payroll deductions.

This incumbent will be responsible for the following:

• Records arrival and departure of all members attending court proceedings, and handling court matters including outside agencies, attending Traffic Adjudication hearings at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

• Processes and maintains arrest, and other, documents received from the Department of Corrections.

• Search legal documents and court cases; verifying references and citations and inputs case information into database. Provides documents needed for Traffic Adjudication hearings.

• Receives Court Appearance Notification requests and subpoenas daily; stores, retrieves, revises; and maintains information, records, and files; and makes adjustments and/or corrections to data already entered into computer systems.

• Prepares letters to attorneys to request Officers for court, and to follow-up to ensure officers are notified of court dates.

• Manages, records and compose incoming and outgoing correspondence of a non-technical and technical nature based upon oral instructions, brief notes, or information available in the files and records; and proofreads work for accuracy.

• Maintains the history of office supplies and equipment.

• Communicates, verbally or in writing, with various offices such as Office of the Attorney General, United States Attorney's Office, Office of the Parole Commission, Office of Police Complaints, Office of the General Counsel, D.C. Superior Court, United States District Court, and other government and non-government agencies and law offices in and around the surrounding Washington Metropolitan Area.

• Assists the Department of Motor Vehicles with ensuring that members are responding for scheduled court hearings.

• Answers internal and external telephone calls and personal inquiries relative to the Court Liaison Division.

• Prepares statistical reports on court appearances and officer-less presentment cases.

• Collects, analyzes, and evaluates information to prepare reports to describe problems that cause significant delays, corrective actions, and the need for additional time.

• Provides assistance and answers questions from MPD members, various courts and municipal agencies concerning distribution and status of notification requests. Ensures that assignments are completed on a timely bases and confidentiality is adhered to.

• Monitors the progress of major felony trials, indicted and non-indicted Grand Jury cases, and tracks the progress of cases so that he/she will know when the case ends to cut down on fraud.

• Makes notifications of when attorneys violate MPD's policy and procedures.

• Provides training to new and lower-level employees of CLD when needed.

• Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of the mission, goals and objectives of MPD, CLD office and established administrative and operational processes and procedures.

• Knowledge of, and skill in applying legal regulations, techniques, and procedures that are not readily understood, sufficient to perform assistance work requiring search of records, logs, indices, and files, to retrieve information.

• Strong typing, organizational, and administrative skills; and interpersonal skills needed to interface with high-level internal and external customers.

• Ability to prioritize workload, deal with urgent customer needs, and independently manage multiple tasks.

• Must maintain professional contact with customers, attorneys, and staff and observe confidentiality when working with documents and various situations.

• Knowledge of, and skill in the use of oral and written communication to obtain and exchange information, prepare memoranda, reports, other correspondence; etc.

• Demonstrated ability and skill in the use of a computer and software, e.g., Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, PeopleSoft Adobe, Acadis portal, OCTO (MPD portal), MPD Intranet, multi-task between fax, scanners, printers, and copy machine; and meticulous attention to detail.

• Ability to identify and resolve customer service problems.

• Demonstrated experience in performing legal support duties.

Licensures, Certifications and other requirements

N/A.

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent.

Work Experience

Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience, equivalent to a least the CS-06 grade level, or its non-District equivalent, gained from the public or private sector. Specialized experience is defined as experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position directly related to the position.

Specialized experience for this position includes experience in applying legal regulations, techniques, and procedures to perform legal support work; strong typing, organizational, administrative, and interpersonal skills; oral and written communication to obtain and exchange information, prepare memoranda, reports, other correspondence; and the use of computer equipment and various software applications.

Work Environment

The work includes everyday risks and discomforts typical of offices and meeting rooms.

Other Significant Factors

Promotion Potential: No Known Promotion Potential

The incumbent is required to possess and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator's permit.

This position is deemed as "Security Sensitive" pursuant to Chapter 4 of the D.C. Personnel Regulations, in addition to the general suitability screening and criminal background check (pre-employment and periodic), individuals may be subject to the following checks and tests:

a. Traffic record check (as applicable);

b. Pre-employment drug and alcohol test (as applicable);

c. Consumer credit check (as applicable);

d. Reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol test;

e. Random drug and alcohol test;

f. Return to duty or follow-up drug and alcohol test; and

g. Post-accident or incident drug and alcohol test.

This position is part of the Pathways to Government Employment Partnership Program. District residents who received a high school diploma from a District of Columbia Public Schools high school or District of Columbia Public Charter School high school or received a GED or its equivalent from the District of Columbia will receive priority consideration for this entry-level position. Applicants must provide a high school transcript, GED certificate, high school diploma, or other applicable documentation along with verification of District residency before the District government may extend a final offer of employment.

The District of Columbia Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer: all qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination, which is also prohibited. In addition, harassment based on any of the above-protected categories is prohibited.

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